Hi. We are a design/style LA based company specializing in mixing eclectic styles on moderate budgets. Also we have a strange amount of fun blogging about all our design and style adventures. Right now I’m happy to say that I’m Target’s home spokesperson, bringing accessible/stylish design to the masses.

The Perfect Nursery for Her Grandkids...

An Intro to a Nursery at Grandma’s House

Hi friends, it’s Mel here. Ginny and I are finishing up a few of our last projects here at EHD, and today I wanted to introduce you to a little nursery we’ve been working on for a lovely grandma who wants to have a room ready to host her grandkids.

To provide some context let’s talk about the house for a second; it’s an incredible Spanish Colonial Revival in South Pasadena complete with a gorgeous backyard and carriage house that’s begging to host parties. The room we were asked to design is right off the kitchen and has a great view of the sunny backyard. Here’s what it looked like when we first stopped by:

Our client had already made the room functional with a crib and glider but a large existing built-in cabinet made the space feel darker and smaller than it is. So the hutch was the first thing to go. We removed it ASAP to make sure we wouldn’t need to replace any of the flooring. Lucky enough everything was in good shape and we were able to move right along with the rest of the design.

When designing a nursery we usually know the gender of the baby-to-be or we’re asked to design a gender neutral space when the parents are opting to be surprised. In this case, our client requested we design a room that feels girly for her granddaughters but could easily be transformed should she have a grandson down the road. We took the existing furniture into account and began to design a space for a baby girl with accessories that could easily be switched out to make it feel more boyish. Here are the two mood boards we sent over:

Since the girly version had blue elements and didn’t feel too frilly, we felt switching out the bedding and a pouf would transform the space like she had wanted should that grandson come along in the future.

After seeing our design presentation and considering the two plans the client realized she wanted to take things in another direction… an all girls direction. One day if or when a grandson comes along she can easily redesign it if she sees fit, but for now the room will fit her family and be beautiful for her granddaughters. She also wanted it to be less modern and more traditional, fitting with the style of her beautiful old estate.

We then sent the client an inspiration board highlighting a few different directions our girly nursery could go and asked her to let us know what spoke to her.

After discussing the images in depth, we came to the conclusion that the room should be refined, and not too sweet or cutesy. Below you’ll see our mood board that we presented to her, without all the elements, but getting closer:

After spending an afternoon looking through samples at our local Design Center, we designed this room from the textiles up. This Kravet fabric felt perfect for the draperies as it’s fun and yet calming and we combined it with this Pindler pom pom fabric as playful sheers. We’ve actually been dying to use this pom pom fabric for a while now so we were very excited. The tiny striped wallpaper was an easy choice as it’s a nice subtle balance to the draperies. The paper is from a Swedish company named Sandberg and due to a few snafus and international shipping issues, we ended up waiting for it for a few more weeks than we thought we’d have to. Now that it’s been installed, we know the wait was definitely worth it.

To balance the soft fabrics and wall coverings we found a gorgeous vintage dresser on Etsy and had it lacquered in Farrow and Ball Green Smoke to bring in some depth. We put a curvy lamp and some art with complimentary colors above the piece and the room felt even more put together. For lighting we chose a chandelier that felt romantic but informal. To add some verticality to the space we included a taller bookcase from RH Baby and Child that has similar details as the dresser. Lastly, with bedding that’s not too ‘punchy’ and a very soft rug, we think this room will be really comfortable for Grandma and her family.

The room is almost complete as we’re waiting for a few last details to arrive. There are already some changes to the latest mood board (the dresser is green and the chair is one they already had that we reupholstered). It’s more subtle than the other two designs but works so well with the rest of their house. Stay tuned….

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I’m interested to see this final reveal. I have to admit, I preferred the first two mood boards in a land slide. Where is that pink cloud wallpaper from? It’s the only item not on your board source list.

I think it was available from Chasing Paper for a bit, but I do not think it is available anymore. It was part of Rebecca Atwood’s collection for them. But I think it was limited edition and is not on their website anymore. It is really pretty! Too bad it is gone.

Oh no! It was SOOOO cute in person, too. I was literally like – WHERE CAN I PUT THIS… for a month. The final moodboard doesn’t pop as much as the other two, but its also not totally finished. Its hard to tell but the dresser is that green color but lacquer so it pops a lot more, and the chair is vintage. Its more quiet and traditional but so pretty and works with their house so well. xx

Where do you get the wallpapers for #4 and #3 of the inspiration board? I have looked all over for something similar and have never come across these.
Love the design process and am looking forward to the reveal. Good luck on your upcoming adventures!

Lots of pretty stuff! But I hope you get a mobile that is oriented to the BABY, not for looking at from across the room. The child should be able to look up from lying in the crib and see interesting sights, not the bottom of things.

Erg, client work. While I certainly don’t fault this grandma for wanting what she wants, it’s so hard to see all the fun, colorful options that will never be. I’m sure you wizards will make it look amazing with accessories.

Agreed, Mary! I know the team will create such a lovely final space as usual, but Grandma’s direction felt like such a downer after those first two delightful moodboards. I’ve never been a fan of formal children’s spaces- they feel like “Yes, this is technically a space for children, but we don’t let them touch the things”. I think you can find a nice balance that appeals to both childlike and adult sensibilities (which I think those first moodboards did quite well!) I am excited to see the lacquered dresser though, I think it will be a stunner!

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Emily is a stylist, author and T.V. host with a strong commitment to vintage inspired approachable home style for every single person. Perfection is boring; Let’s get weird. learn more

Interior Design Blog by Emily Henderson

I started this interior design blog in 2010 as a journal of my style and home projects with the belief that design should be approachable, informational and accessible no matter what budget.

As a home style expert who has a strong commitment to peeling back the intimidating layers of the world of home decor, and showing how every person can have a beautiful home that represents their personality, no matter what the budget.

After styling for magazines and catalogues for years, I started my own interior design blog, won HGTV Design Star, and have gone on to host my own hit TV show Secrets from a Stylist, Author the book STYLED, and create the design firm Emily Henderson Design.

My motto has always been to write and publish on my blog what I personally want to read about.